High-ranking NYPD member on modified duty after shooting incident in grocery store parking lot

A high-ranking member of the New York City Police Department is on modified duty as police in Rockland County investigate his involvement in a shooting incident.

It happened Sunday evening in the parking lot of a Haverstraw grocery store.

Parking lot fight

Haverstraw Police responded to a ShopRite parking lot after receiving a 911 call reporting two men fighting. Sources said one of the men was off-duty NYPD Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley, who suspected the other man of harassing his daughter.

Police said during the fight, Gurley's gun "was removed" from his waistband and one round was fired. No one was injured, and no property was damaged. Much of the incident was captured by surveillance cameras.

Haverstraw Police are investigating, including looking into whether the gun was discharged accidentally.

Gurley declined to comment on the incident. The NYPD has placed him on modified duty during the investigation.  

Gurley's recent promotion

The incident comes at a particularly bad time for Gurley. Just last week, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch gave him a major vote of confidence, promoting him to command the new Bronx North patrol borough.

"It's a big job, and I think they wouldn't have assigned him if they didn't think highly of him," retired NYPD detective Phil Grimaldi said.

Grimaldi said the NYPD's Force Investigation Division will look closely at what happened.

"Law enforcement officers are held at a higher standard than civilians," he said. "You're given the privilege of carrying a firearm, and you have to safeguard it, and when you do use that firearm, there is a thorough investigation."